Flat glass washer



Aug. 16, 1966 R. 1.. WEHR FLAT GLASS WASHER 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 13, 1965 HOHER T L.. WEH]? A fforneys Aug. 16, 1966 Filed Aug. 13, 1965 R. WEHR FLAT GLASS WASHER 2 Sheets-Sheer. 2

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ROBERTL WEHR A f Iorneys Um'ted States Patent O 3266074 FLAT GLASS WASHER Robert L. Wehr, Harmony, Pa., assignor to Billco, Zelieuople, Pa., a corporatiou of Pennsylvani'a Filed Aug 13, 1965, Ser. N0. 479,564 2 Claims. (C1. 1577) The present invention relates to improvements in flat glass washing machines and more specifically to improvements in such machines to facilitate cleaning thereof and removal of glass chips flushed from the glass during the washing operation.

Flat glass washing machines are old in the art and as generally constructed comprise an upper and a lower frame upon which are mounted brushes and glass conveying rolls whereby a plurality of glass sheets, after being cut to required sizes, are successively conveyed between the brushes and scrubbed or washed by a su-itable detergent and water. The sheets of glass are then suitably dried and packed for shipment or other processing.

During the glass cutting operation, prior to feeding the cut sheets to the washer, small chips may adhere to the cut edges of the glass sheets and during washing are displaced from the s-heets and collected in the machine. Should such chip be embedded in the bristles of the glass scrubbing brushes r become embedded in the rubber surface 015 the glass conveying rolls, they frequently cause scratches upon the surface of the glass sheets necessitating scraping thereof.

The objects of the invention is to provide for the mounting of the customary brushes and eonveying rolls along with their driving means upon an upper and a lower washer frame member whereby one or both ends of the frarne members may be pivotally connected to permit relative vertical pivotal movernent of the upper frame upon the lower frame 10 provide ready access to the rolls and brushes thereon for cleaning said glass chips therefrom.

This and other objects of the invention will be made apparent from the following description and the drawing forming a part thereof, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows in side elevation one form of said glass plate washer, With the fname members in operating position;

FIG. 2 shows a partial cross section taken on lines IIII of FIG. 1, illustrating the pivotal connection between overlying frame members; and

FIG. 3 shows a cross section through the washer illustrating the rolls and brushes and their mounting upon the frame members.

Referring now in detail tothe drawing, the washer upper frame 1 is comprised of longitudinally extending and transversely spaced side frame members 2 connected by end and intermediate members 3 to provide a rigid frame. A cnrresponding lower frame 4 is comprised of longitudinally extending tnansversely spaced side frame members 5 connected by suitable transverse mernber 6. The lower frame 4 is preferably of greater length than upper frame 1 and h-as spaced along the length thereof suitable supporting legs 7. Depending from adjacent each end of frame 1 and suitably secured to each frarne member 2 are suitable bracket mernbers 8 each having adjacht the lower ends thereof suitable trunnions 9 received in trunnion support members 10 secured to the lower frame mernbers 5. From the foregoing it is appatent upper frarne member 1 may be readily vertically detached from lower fname member 4 or may pivot about an end thereof, as hereinafter described. As best shown in FIG. l, lower frame members 5 may advantageousy be extended beyond the trunnion suppofls 10 for the support of suitable conveyor rollers 11 adapted for carrying glass sheets into or away from the fname l.

As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, upper frame side members 2 adjacent the right band ends thereof are pro- Vided with suitable outstanding brackets 12 from which are suspended suitable bearings 13 for reception of the ends of shafts 14 of top brushes 15. Sirnilarly the bottom frame members 5 are provided with corresponding -brack ets 16 for support of similar bearings 13 for the shafts 14 of the bottom brushes 15. It Will be understood that each upper brush 14 disposed in contact with the top face of 21 glass sheet mates With a brush 14 in contact With a bottom face of the same glass sheet. Such bearings and brushes are of a conventional type known in the art. Three such pairs of brushes 14 are shown and have been found to be adequate for the scrubbing of the glass sheets; more or less pairs of brushes may be employed where desired.

Adjacent each side of each top and bottom brushes 15 are suitable upper and lower bearings 17 and 17a for reception of the shafts 18 for the pairs of conveyor rollers 19 for conveying the glass sheets between said brushes. These bearings and rollers are of conventional types known in the art.

As the scrubbed glass sheets leave the brushes 15, the sheets pass between two opposing pair of longitudinally spaced conduits 20 disposed transversely of the upper frame and lower frame 4. Bach of these conduits have a longitudinally extending slotted opening therein for direeting a blast of -air against the passing glass sheets to dry same. A suitable blower (not shown) may be mounted upon said upper frame 1 and provided with suitable flexible conduits which extend to the said fixed conduits 20 for supplying air t0 dry said glass sheets.

Convention=al means for driving the brushes and glass conveying rollers are Wall known in the art and are employed with the present washer. Since these form part cf the present invention they have not been shown. Customarily, the usual gears, sprockets, belts and driving wheels are mounted upon one side of the washer and upon the lower frame. The shafts 0f the brushes and rolls of the upper frame are provided with the usual sprockets to mate With those of the lower frarne brushes and rolls when the frames are in overly-ing position. Since these form 110 part of the present invention they have not been shown.

I claim:

1. In a glass sheet Washer for cleaning glass sheets er continuous ribbon passing therethrough, the combination of (a) a rigid rectangular bottom frarne having side mem- -bers and spaced transverse connecting members,

(b) a rigid rectangular top frame having side members and spaced tranverse connecting members,

(c) a bracket member depending from each of the four corners of said top frame and corresponding bracket support members mounted on said bottorn frame for supporting said top frame in overlying spaced relation with said bottorn frame,

(d) means spaced longitudinally of said top and bottom frames for wash-ing and drying glass sheets moving therebetween, and

(e) means between said depending brackets at one end of said top frame and their bottom frame supporting brackets providing a pivotal support for vertical pivotal movement of said top frame relative to said bottom frame.

2. The glass washer as defined in claim 1, wherein said pivotal support rneans between one end of said top and bottom frames comprises a laterally extending cylindrical trunnion mernber 011 said top frame brackets and an arenate concave recess 0n said bott-om frame brackets receiving said trunnion mernbers.

References Cited by the Examina UNITED STATES PATENTS 2636200 4/ 1953 Peterson 1577 3093852 6/1963 Madge 15-77 3237231 3/ 1966 Zink 15-102 10 CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A GLASS SHEET WASHER FOR CLEANING GLASS SHEETS OR CONTINUOUS RIBBON PASSING THERETHROUGH, THE COMBINATION OF (A) A RIGID RECTANGULAR BOTTOM FRAME HAVING SIDE MEMBERS AND SPACED TRANSVERSE CONNECTING MEMBERS, (B) A RIGID RECTANGULAR TOP FRAME HAVING SIDE MEMBERS AND SPACED TRANSVERSE CONNECTING MEMBERS (C) A BRACKET MEMBER DEPENDING FROM EACH OF THE FOUR CORNERS OF SAID TOP FRAME AND CORRESPONDING BRACKET SUPPORT MEMBERS MOUNTED ON SAID BOTTOM FRAME FOR SUPPORTING SAID TOP FRAME IN OVERLYING SPACED RELATION WITH SAID BOTTOM FRAME, (D) MEANS SPACED LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID TOP AND BOTTOM FRAMES FOR WASHING AND DRYING GLASS SHEETS MOVING THEREBETWEEN, AND (E) MEANS BETEEEN SAID DEPENDING BRACKETS AT ONE END OF SAID TOP FRAME AND THEIR BOTTOM FRAME SUPPORTING BRACKETS PROVIDING A PIVOTAL SUPPORT FOR VERTICAL PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID TOP FRAME RELATIVE TO SAID BOTTOM FRAME. 